Entwined

I awake the next morning to find the breakfast table a solemn place. My dad stares blankly at me from across the table as he holds his usual coffee mug. “I believe you have something to tell me young lady.”

Taking a deep breath I utter the words that have been haunting me, the truth that I’ve been unable to escape. “I won’t be able to take Calculus next year.” I stare at the table in humility, feeling my dads eyes burrow into my like a blade, piercing my very soul with nothing but disappointment

“And why may that be?” He straightens out in a sort of soldier like appearance, as he takes in a breath, almost like he was trying to control himself.

I feel tears start to swell up, but I push them back as best as I can. “I didn’t earn a high enough grade this year; The grade that was required for me to move on to Calculus.”

My mother is unusually quiet. Darrin also sits there without much expression. He looks up at me with a look full of pity, “I could help you if you want. I passed precalc with an A.”

I look at him with a withering stare hoping that if I looked at him long enough he’d disappear. I almost feel like slapping him and yelling at him for making me feel even worse. Under my breath I mutter, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Darrin got the gist of what I had said and looks down.

“What did you say Juliette?” My father's voice borderlines that of a yell. He hates when I mutter and looks at me with the same stare as I gave my brother. No wonder I got so good at it; it runs in the family.

I sigh and put on my backpack. “Look, be mad at me or whatever it is you wish to do. I have school and if you don’t mind I’d like to be on time.”

"Do not walk away from me young lady!" This time there is no questioning whether it is a yell or not. "You drop a bomb on us like that and expect to get away with it? Not in my house. What about getting into UC Berkeley, huh? Did you ever think about that while you were slacking off? I bet even UW won't take you anymore."

I block out what he says; he doesn’t know anything. I push past him trying to not waiver. "I need to go to school."

"Fine. We'll talk when you get home."

If I go home. Maybe I’ll just go to Kali’s or wander the streets forever. Since Darrin is home I’m sure they wouldn’t notice if I went missing or if I didn’t come home. In fact, I think they’d be happier; I’m just the black sheep of the family.

I drive to school partially frantic about what will happen after school and partially relieved that I’m away from my family for now. When I gotget there I look around for Kali, but remember that she has a dentist appointment today and won’t be here until 4th period. In the hall I see my other friends, Mark and Lisa, but I don’t really feel like talking, so I zone out and try to make it look like I was paying attention to what they were saying.

Before I know it the day flies by without anything very interesting. Kali shows up and we chat about my plan for this afternoon.

“You could just start a rebellion against them and lock yourself in your room.”

I look at her like she’s nuts. “Yeah I could just so my dad comes and takes my door off its hinges.”

She shrugs. “It’s an idea.”

We finally settle on the idea of talking to Ms. Mann and seeing if she would reconsider and what my options are.The bell rings and fifth period passes quickly to my disappointment. Not wasting any time, I head straight to math so that I have time to talk to Ms. Mann before class. I take a breath before I walk in hoping that it gives me the courage that I’ll need to do this. I walk over to her desk hoping that I don’t look too nervous.

“Ms. Mann,” She looks up at me kindly. It’s hard to picture her grading my tests and thinking that I’m an idiot, even though that’s probably what she does. She has always seemed so nice. “I was really hoping we can discuss my options for next year and if there is any possibility of me taking Calculus. I’d even be willing to do some summer work in order to get into the class.”

She looks at me thoughtfully, but says nothing. I look at her in desperation. “Please, it really means a lot to me.”

Ms. Mann cocks an eyebrow and rests her elbows on her desk, linking her hands together, “To you or your family?”

She leans back in her chair and folds her arms and legs, “Your mother sent me an email back vocalizing her concerns. Family expectations are important, but it shouldn’t be how you live your life dear. You need to find your own way. Unfortunately, you will have to deal with the consequences as they are. There is nothing more any of us can do.”

“But—“ Before I could start to argue, everything around me shifts and goes hazy like a dream. Am I fainting?

All around Ms. Mann is a blue glow and suddenly I feel light. Darkness surrounds me and I feel like I’m floating , drifting through nothingness. Panic courses through my veins and fills my heart with fear. I don’t want to die. An icy breeze hits me, electrocuting all my senses.

Bright lights shower me in its glow. My hands run along a hard tile ground. Where am I? As my eyes adjust, I find myself lying on a stone floor with a thing standing over me.

Gasping, I try to push myself up, but my arms go numb and give out on me. “Where the hell am I?”

With a better look I can see him more clearly. On his back rests charcoal wings like ever present shadows. His features are mostly human, but scales creep up his neck and rest on the outskirts of his face. It’s his eyes that distinguish him as definitely not human; two emerald, reptilian orbs glowing where human eyes would be.

“That’s exactly where you are. Hell. My Hell, but the question is, why are you here?” His voice is deep and resonates throughout the rooms. His emerald reptilian eyes shine in the sunlight. Something behind him swishes back and forth; A tail?

“Wh—what are you?” My voice trembles as I speak. I try again to move my arms or legs, but they're paralyzed in fear.

His gaze intensifies, which makes me shutter. A nasty snarl escapes his lips. “Answer my question!”

“I don’t know. One minute I’m in math class trying to figure out how I’m going to tell my parents that failing my test results in absolutely no possibility of taking Calculus and then I’m here and—“

“Silence!” The sharpness in his voice makes me jump and all at once I’m standing again. “I don’t care what you were doing before here. You’re in my castle, which makes you a trespasser. Trespasser’s are usually here to slay me, but you are puny; not even enough for a small meal.”

I gulp. “A meal?”

His claw taps against the scales on his arm. Other than the tail, wings and the scales, he’s not that much different than a human. Oh and the claws...and eyes.

“You are lucky that I’m not feeling very hungry, weakling. Nevertheless, you must be punished.” He lunges for me and I try to run, but he’s too agile. Right before my eyes his body expands as if it is the most natural thing. Instead of being six-feet tall and almost human looking, every part of his body mutates until he is a very large dragon.

I turn my head as his claw slashes and wait for the pain. Taking a deep breath, I know this is the end. I hope this is just a weird dream. Thinking back to it, I’d rather receive whatever punishment my parents have come up with.

Two seconds, three seconds go by. I open my eyes, only then realizing that I had closed them. My eyes shoot to where he was standing before he clawed me, but he’s gone. My hand automatically touches the part of my face where his claws should have made contact, but my fingers only feel smooth skin.

A roar echoes through the stone room. All of the sudden a blast of fire shoots towards me, but passes as if I was in a protective bubble. The flames cease and the guy in his original form is standing there looking as stunned as I am.

As if in slow motion, his face starts to change from stunned to furious. “Who sent you?!”

“I—no one did!” I say in a daze. Then it sinks in; he can’t hurt me.

“Deceitful girl! They sent you to slay me! You’re the one from the prophet.”

I step closer to him. Instinctively he jumps back. “The prophet? What?!”

He turns away in a huff. “Don’t pretend to be ignorant.”

“First of all, I don’t know who ‘they’ are and second, I have never heard of any prophet. Oh and third of all, I’m not going to slay you—whatever you are.”

His cold eyes examine me. “Where do you hail from? Your attire is… different and rather manly.”

I look down at my clothes. I’m wearing boots, jeans and a sweatshirt. My eyes wander towards him and realize he’s only wearing pants, granted they're funny looking. “Seattle. Where are we exactly?”

“Hm. Seattle. Must be a small village or—never mind. You are in my castle in the forgotten kingdom of Delkai.” He approaches me. “I am King Ayrie.”

As my eyes catch his, he looks away. “I’m Juliette. What did you mean ‘or’? Or what?”
The longer I stand here, the unnerving feeling that this isn’t a dream washes over me.

“You’re not from this realm, in which case you must perish.” I just stare at him like he’s nuts. He probably is, I mean, he’s a dragon... thing. “A witch has brought you here to destroy me.”

“What do you mean a witch brought me here? And what do you mean I’m not from this realm?” And then it dawned on me; Ms. Mann. She was the one who sent me here! The glow, her eyes; it all makes sense! I definitely wasn’t her favorite student, but I didn’t think she hated me this much.

“Are you ignorant and stupid?”

The low resonance of his voice snaps me back. I eye him carefully. “If a witch were to send me here, how do I get back?”

“The witch.” His mouth twitches after he says that.

He turns and starts striding away. “Ayrie, wait!

I take a few steps towards him, but before I know it he is towering over me. “Do not address me as Ayrie. I am a king and you are nothing, but a lowlife.”

My hands start trembling and I try to stop them, but I can’t help it; he’s intimidating whether or not he can hurt me. I manage to squeak out, “How do we find the witch?”

“We do nothing. That is your misfortune, not mine. Either way, you will be my servant for the rest of your life. I don’t want to talk to you or hear from you. I need someone to do housework though. Now get going! Explore the castle, do what you wish, I do not care. Just stay out of my way unless I call for you.”

With that wonderful speech he’s gone and I’m standing here confused out of my mind. Honestly, I’m ready to wake up from whatever this is. Maybe it’s just a really bad dream and all I need to do is go to sleep and when I wake up, I’ll be back in my bed. I wander down one of the many corridors looking for an unlocked door. The halls are illuminated by floating candlesticks; like something that would be in a dream. Not to my surprise, many of the doors are locked.

Finally as I turn into another hallway, I find myself in a bedroom trimmed with gold everywhere. Almost everything in the room is white or pink. I crawl into the large bed without a thought and shut my eyes praying that I will wake up from this nightmare.

A pang of loneliness hits me as I realize that I am truly alone in this world. Everyone I’ve ever loved and cared about is gone and who knows if I’ll ever see them again. Do I even want to see them again though? In this world there is not Darrin, but there’s also not Kali. Tears slide down my cheeks and I try to stop. I have to find the witch whether Ayrie is going to help me or not. It’s the only way I’ll be able to return home. Part of me whispers that it’s better this way. I can start a new life here and forget about my old problems.

As I lay there in silence, my whole body becomes heavy and I refuse to fight it. I am being lifted into the clouds and away in the night.

~*~

Everything around me is hugged by a golden glow like the most picturesque image of what heaven is supposed to be like. Sweet music is playing in the background. Great. I must be dead.

“You’re not dead, my child” An ominous voice whispers behind me. I turn around and see a tall womanly figure in front of me. Her face is blurred as if I needed glasses. Serenity spreads over me and I feel safe as if in my mother’s arms.

“Where am I?”

“You are in the Nether—neither here nor there. I cannot stay for long, but there is a reason you are in Delkai. Look inside your heart and you can find it.”

“Will I ever see my family again?”

She touches my face gently and says, “In time, find me and you can have your heart’s desire.” Her image blurs even more until she is nothing, but a blob.

“But I—“

The music stops instantly and I reach out towards her. “Don’t be afraid. He cannot hurt you.”

And then she is gone like my sanity.

~*~

I wake with a start and hear pounding on my door. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I see that I am disappointingly right where I fell asleep. All of the sudden the door flies open.

“Where is my breakfast, servant?” His eyes pierce me with daggers, but the angel’s words ring in my ears.

“I have a name you know.” I yawn and sit up. “Besides, like I know where the kitchen is. It’s not like you gave me a tour last night.”

“Insolent girl! You want a tour? Fine!” With that he reaches to yank me out of bed, but right before his claw touches my skin, a purple spark hits him and he is knocked back into the wall.

I can’t help, but smirk at him. “Forgot you can’t touch me I see.”

I hop out of bed and he glares at me from the ground. “Who gave you permission to sleep in here?”

I shrug. “It was unlocked.”

“Liar! All these doors have been locked for decades.”

“Obviously not.” I go stand by the door and look at him. “Are you coming or what?”

He looks at me blankly. Pride swells up within me as if I had just won a battle. Without a word he stands and moves swiftly down the hall. His tail carelessly swings behind him. As I follow closely, but not too closely, each hallway is just as confusing as it was last night. The red carpet with gold trim covers each hall and it seems like every hall has a statue that is almost identical as the last. I am definitely going to get lost.

We turn left and at the end of the hall two French double doors stand before us. Effortlessly, he pushes the doors open to reveal a modest kitchen. Oak cabinets line the wall and on the right is a huge stone fireplace.

“Now, cook me breakfast.” He folds his arms as if he expects me to cook for him on demand. Unfortunately, I am the type of person that would.

I sigh and start looking through the cabinets. To my surprise all of them are empty. “How do you expect me to make you something if your cupboards are filled with nothing?”

He snarls at me and mutters something like “figure it out”. I look around the kitchen and notice four different doors. I try the first one, which leads to mops and brooms. Closing it I look at him with frustration. Rolling his eyes, he points to the door next to it and says to himself, “Stupid girl.”

“I’m not stupid!” I snap back at him. I may not be the smartest person, but I’m by no means stupid. I reach for the handle. The hard metal is icy cold and as I open the door I see why. Every wall is lined with frozen meat larger than myself. I poke one and like a pendulum it swings back and forth. I walk through the endless storage and find one that’s about the size of a regular chicken.

The ice stings my hands as I hurriedly set down the chicken on a counter. I look up at him. “Where’s a sink?”

He looks at me like I’m stupid. “A sink? What is a sink?”

Then it hit me; there’s probably no plumbing in this realm… great. I think for a moment. “Um…like a well or running water. Do you have something like that?”

He growls and shoves me out of the way. Regaining my balance, I try to observe what he’s doing. A bright blue burst showers the meat and a deliciously sweet smell wafts through the kitchen.

“How’d you do that?” I close my eyes as the warmth of the cooked chicken wraps around me. The smell reminds of Thanksgiving at home; we never had turkey for Thanksgiving because chicken was preferred. As Thanksgiving fills my mind all I can think about is my family and how they probably don’t miss me. I shake off the feeling; I don’t have time to feel bad for myself.

Solemnly he replies, “Magic.”

“Yeah I’m definitely not in Seattle anymore.” Sighing, an ache in my heart makes me wish I were back with my family and friends.

Like the beast he is, the chicken is mangled and eaten almost entirely within a few seconds. My stomach growls as I realize I had not had dinner or breakfast. It growls again only louder this time. He stops for a split second and looks at me with sauce and seasoning strewn across his face. “What?”

“I’m hungry.”

Snarling, he breaks off a drumstick and hands it to me. “Satisfied?”

I take it and he turns back to consume the rest of the chicken. I inhale the sweet smell and hungrily take a bite. As I eat, my eyes examine him in daylight. Apart from the scales covering most of his body and the tail, he could be human. His face is normal in the sense that he has eyes, a nose, and a mouth. His eyes are slit like a reptile though and he barely has any lips.

“What?” He growls at me as he scarfs the rest down.

Ceasing the moment I ask, “What are you exactly?”

His withering glare pierces through me and I mentally take the question back. “None of your concern, peasant.”

Letting the silence slowly suffocate us, I look at my feet awkwardly. I need to get home somehow, but he’s not going to help me and I don’t really know anything about where I am so the chances of that are slim.

Remembering that he demanded I do different chores, I sigh. I hate chores, especially cleaning type chores and I’m pretty sure he mentioned something about sweeping. “Other than making meals, what else do you want me to do?”

Without a hint of any emotion other than slightly pissed off he snarls, “Meals are obviously not your duty anymore because you are nothing, but a mere mortal. One that is useless at cooking and many other things.”

I ignore his rudeness. “You mentioned some sort of cleaning before.”

“Yes, but you are an incompetent weakling. If you desire to eat again, I would advise you to stay out of my sight unless I ring that bell signaling that I am satisfied and food will be given to you.”

I look towards the bell he’s talking about, a big, brass, worn down sort of thing. Before I could reply though, he’s gone. Great.

Unenthusiastically, I walk towards the closet containing all the brooms and what not. Within the hour, I manage to find a well in the garden. I make my way through the huge house, getting lost several times; cleaning until my fingers are numb and my knees bruised. Most of the time my tears mingle with the soapy floor and sorrowful thoughts of everything that’s gone fill my mind.

As the evening approaches, my body feels as if it’s about to give out. I hear the faint bell and slowly make my way back to the kitchen. The castle is finally getting a bit more familiar now that I’ve had time to explore. I can at least find my way to the kitchen and my bedroom.

When I finally arrive, a plate is left with just a small steak and a goblet of water. Next to the plate there’s a note poorly written. I read it several times and eventually figure out that it says something along the lines of:

You are slow and pathetic; you deserve nothing. But I am a generous king, so I shall grant you food. Tomorrow you may not be so lucky. –Ayrie

I crumble the small paper up and throw it on the floor. Screw him. I lift the plate and look for utensils. Too hungry to really care, I pick up the 5 oz. or so of steak and devour it. I probably looked no more civil than he did when he ate this morning. When I get back to the bedroom, I fall asleep upon my head touching the pillow. No dreams come this time, just pure black abyss.